Job Description
Summary
In what is probably the most ambitious period of its 28-year history, Prospect ’s owner, Sir Clive Cowdery, has recruited highly respected Editor (Alan Rusbridger, ex Guardian) and award-winning CEO (Mark Beard, ex The Economist) to undertake a programme of change that will transform Prospect into a thriving digital-first, multi- channel media company.
Recent product launches include a new best-in-class website and app, a new subscriber-only “On the Cover” newsletter, a new “Media Confidential” podcast, and the accelerated building of audiences on social media platforms. Many more digital launches and upgrades are in the works, all of which are creating an increased focus on acquiring and retaining subscribers.
Background:
- The permanent Senior Finance Manager will go on Maternity leave by beginning of November 2024
- We are looking for a highly capable person to cover this position during the maternity leave, ideally starting early-October 2024 to give three or so weeks of handover.
- The Finance team is focused on supporting Prospect and its team with efficient processes, commercial analysis, financial governance and accurate information.
- The Finance team has two members of staff: full time Senior Finance Manager (reporting to the CEO) and an Accounts Assistant (3 days a week)
- The team deals with multiple streams of activity and while they are busy and have lots of commercial challenges to meet, it is a pleasant and friendly environment to work in.
- The office is based close to St James Park and Westminster tube stations in London (walkable from both Victoria and Waterloo stations).
- This role will work closely with the Magazine editorial and Commercial teams and other members of staff in the building.
Purpose of the role:
- Take over the role of Senior Finance Manager for the period of the maternity leave
- Support the CEO / Prospect Team by performing key accounting and financial tasks to an excellent standard.
- Provide accurate information and analysis to support the running/production of the magazine
- Be a key member of the staff, demonstrating the magazine’s core values
Key Responsibilities
1. Management Accounting:
- Responsibility for the posting of all financial transactions on a timely basis
- Supervising & reviewing the work of the Accounts Assistant(3 days a week)
- Preparing monthly management accounts by working day 10 in the following month, reporting on key variances against budget and prior periods, ensuring Balance Sheet reconciled monthly
2. Financial Accounting (if relevant – year end is 31 December 2024):
- Preparation of annual financial accounts for the company and ensuring subsequent filing with Companies House, including liaison with third party accounting firm
3. Budgets and Forecasts:
- Producing the annual budget and re-forecasts, working with all areas of the business to ensure the budget is accurate
- Keep an on going cash flow forecast for the company looking forward at least 12months
4. Commercial analysis and reporting:
- Providing the CEO and other senior members of the company with information needed to meet the company’s commercial objectives
- Producing financial reports and analysis for distribution to the Board of Directors as required
5. VAT – UK and European:
- Calculate and submit UK and European VAT returns to relevant deadline and ensure VAT is paid/refunded and recorded correctly
6. Payroll
- Submit information to the company’s payroll bureau on a monthly basis and ensure members of staff get paid on the correct date
7. HR Administration:
- Ensure all HR documentation is filed, joiners & leavers are processed properly and prepare contracts from a template for new members of staff.
8. Company Secretarial and Governance
- Ensure applications for funding are submitted on a regular basis to the ResolutionTrust
- Submission of information to legal bodies and other governance tasks as appropriate
- Any company secretarial actions that are necessary during the period
- Assist the CEO with any GDPR-related tasks
Qualifications, Experience & Knowledge
- Qualified accountant (CIMA, ACA, ACCA) with at least 5 years PQE
- Knowledge and working experience of Sage
- Hands on experience of producing management and financial accounts, providing insightful financial analysis and reporting to a Leadership Team
- Excellent advanced Excel skills
- Experience of working within a multi-discipline publishing organisation with subscriptions at its heart and
- with additional revenue streams including events and advertising is preferable
- Experience of working in an SME is essential
- Knowledge of VAT
Skills & Abilities
- Excellent interpersonal, written and spoken communication skills
- Proven ability to multi-task and prioritise your own workload, meet deadlines, be efficient and organised and
- to work effectively under pressure and to tight timescales
- Accurate and excellent attention to detail and be able to process multiple streams of information
- Exceptional analysis and reporting skills
- Proven team working
Behaviour & Characteristics
- Enthusiastic with the ability to multi task and be flexible.
- Self-starter with initiative, able to hit the ground running
- A willingness to get the job done, whatever it takes
- Happy to work alone or as part of a team
- Able to create and maintain positive, trusting, and mutually beneficial relationships
- In relation to others: personable, positive with the confidence to reach out and ask questions
- Communicates in a timely, straightforward, respectful, honest manner with colleagues
Prospect Publishing is a small, friendly and ambitious company that values diversity. We are committed to equal opportunities and creating an inclusive environment for all our employees. We welcome applicants regardless of ethnic origin, national origin, gender, gender identity, race, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, age or marital status.